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Item 7 - Staff Report with Attachments 1 through 3.Committee Conduct and Procedures PREPARED BY: Sean Mullin Planning Manager 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REPORT MEETING DATE: 3/26/2025 ITEM NO: 7 DATE: March 21, 2025 TO: Historic Preservation Committee FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Committee Conduct and Procedures BACKGROUND: At the meeting of February 26, 2025, it was requested that staff agendize a discussion of the Committee’s Conduct and Procedures. Staff has provided the attached documents to aid in the discussion. Received with this Staff Report: 1. Resolution 2024-012: Amending the Enabling Resolution of the Historic Preservation Committee and Rescinding Resolution 2021-043 2. Council Policy 2-04: Town Council Code of Conduct 3. Effective and Efficient Meetings Document Page 169 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Page 170 RESOLUTION 2024-012 RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS AMENDING THE ENABLING RESOLUTION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND RESCINDING RESOLUTION 2021-043 WHEREAS, the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos established the Historic Preservation Committee; WHEREAS, the Committee is advisory to the Planning Commission and operates in the manner hereinafter prescribed; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission at its meeting on February 14, 2024, reviewed the proposed amendments to the Enabling Resolution of the Historic Preservation Committee, held a public hearing, and forwarded a recommendation of approval to the Town Council; and WHEREAS, this matter was regularly noticed in conformance with State and Town law and came before the Town Council for public hearing on March 19, 2024; and WHEREAS, on March 19, 2024, the Town Council accepted the report of the Planning Commission's recommendation of approval for the proposed amendments, held a public hearing, and voted to approve the amendments to the Enabling Resolution of the Historic Preservation Committee. WHEREAS, the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos hereby amends the qualifications of members and the duties of the Historic Preservation Committee. NOW, THEREFORE, THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE that the terms and conditions for appointment and conduct of the Historic Preservation Committee are hereby established as follows: 1. Membership - Organization a. The Committee shall consist of five (5) voting members. Two (2) members shall be Planning Commissioners and three (3) members shall be residents of the Town. b. The terms of appointment shall be at the discretion of the Chair of Planning Commission for Planning Commission members. c. The resident members shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Town Council and shall serve a term of four (4) years. d. The Town Council and Planning Commission Chair shall appoint professional and lay members with demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge in historic preservation. e. The Town Council and Planning Commission Chair shall seek professional Committee 1 of 3 Resolution 2024-012 March 19, 2024ATTACHMENT 1 Page 171 members from among the disciplines of architecture, history, architectural history, planning, archeology, or other historic preservation related disciplines such as urban planning, American studies, American civilization, cultural geography, or cultural anthropology to the extent that such professionals are available in the community. f. Except as necessary to appoint qualified historic preservation professionals in the community, the Committee members should be residents of the Town. g. The removal of public members and the absence of members shall be governed in accordance with all current Town Resolutions and Policies. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by a majority vote of the Town Council and shall be for the unexpired term of the office vacated. h. The Committee shall hold regular meetings at least once a month and such other meetings as it deems necessary or expedient. Special meetings shall be held by the Committee to avoid any delay of an application being considered by the Planning Commission. The Committee shall call and conduct its meetings in compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Sections 54950 and following). i. A majority of the total number of seats filled on the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transaction the business of the Committee. j The Committee shall elect a chair and vice -chair, both of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the Committee. Terms of office shall be for one year and shall begin on February 1 and end of January 31 of the following year. k. Minutes of the actions taken during its meetings shall be kept permanently and shall be a public record. 2. Powers and Duties a. The Committee oversees all development on properties that the Town considers historic. b. The Committee is composed of residents with demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge in historic preservation. c. The duties of the Committee shall be to report to, consult with, and provide assistance, and make recommendations to the Planning Commission and Planning Director as provided in Chapter 29, Article VIII, Division 3 of the Town Code. d. The Committee must report to the Planning Commission prior to any Commission meeting scheduled to discuss an application for a historic structure which requires Planning Commission approval, or a proposal to designate a landmark or a historic district. 3. Resolution Not to Affect Powers of Town Council or Planning Commission Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as restricting or curtailing any of the powers of the Town Council or Planning Commission, or as a delegation to the Committee of any of the authority or discretionary powers vested and imposed by law in such bodies. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution rescinds Resolution 2021-043. 2 of 3 Resolution 2024-012 March 19, 2024 Page 172 PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Los Gatos, California, held on the 19' day of March 2024, by the following vote: COUNCIL MEMBERS: AYES: Rob Moore, Rob Rennie, Maria Ristow NAYS: Matthew Hudes, Mayor Mary Badame ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: TOWN CLERK THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA DATE: S/ebJalgSIGNED: MA F THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS LOS' OS, CALIFORNIA DATE: 03/20/Z024 3 of 3 Resolution 2024-012 March 19, 2024 Page 173 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Page 174 ATTACHMENT 2Page 175 Page 176 Page 177 Page 178 Page 179 Page 180 Page 181 Page 182 Page 183 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Page 184 Commissioner Handbook – Part 2 Effective and Efficient Meetings and Membership Effective and Efficient Meetings and Membership Effective meetings occur when two things happen: a clear and reasonable agenda is determined and individuals come to the meeting prepared to discuss items on the agenda and take appropriate actions. In this way, it is the responsibility of every member to make each meeting as efficient and effective as possible. An effective meeting will: •Start on time. •Follow an agenda. •Adhere to parliamentary procedure. •Demonstrate respect for everyone in attendance and their points of view. •Keep discussions focused and on point. •Encourage participation and an open exchange of ideas and information. •Make use of staff expertise and experience. Working with Town Staff To work well with the Board, Commission, or Committee staff liaison, or Town employee, the Commission member can be more effective if they: •Ask questions. You need as much information as possible in order to understand an issue before you cast your vote. It is the job of Town staff to study and understand complex situations. Ask for clarification if you need it. •Inform staff liaison of meeting absences in advance. If you know you will need to miss a meeting because of a schedule conflict, let the staff liaison know about it as far in advance as possible. This allows meetings to be rescheduled if it is clear there will not be a quorum. •Treat all staff as professionals. •Communicate clearly, honestly, and directly. •Build a relationship based on mutual trust and respect. •Don’t ask Town staff to perform tasks or share information outside the role as liaison. Making the Public Feel Welcome Making the public feel welcome is an important part of the democratic process and every effort should be made to be fair and impartial in listening to public testimony. There should be no sign of partiality, prejudice, or disrespect shown by a member of a Town Board, Commission, or Committee towards anyone participating in a public forum. ATTACHMENT 3Page 185 Commissioner Handbook – Part 2 Effective and Efficient Meetings and Membership The public will feel most comfortable if they: • Are treated with politeness and respect. • Have a fair and equitable opportunity to share their points of view. • Feel that members of the Board, Commission, or Committee are really listening, with an open mind, to what they have to say. • Are asked questions and are not argued with or criticized. • Never hear or feel a personal attack of any kind. Role of the Chair in welcoming the public. • Ask speakers to identify themselves for the record. • Enforce time limits so that all speakers have an equal opportunity to convey their views. • Don’t allow verbal exchanges to break out between speakers and opponents in the audience, or between speakers and members of the Board, Commission, or Committee, or between speakers and staff. • Soothe tempers and quiet emotions among everyone in attendance by adhering to meeting procedures and insisting that discussion stay orderly, focused, and impersonal. Public Conduct at Meetings The Town strongly encourages active participation in the public process. If a member of the public wishes to speak to an item either on or off the agenda, it may be addressed during the “Verbal Communications” period. A time limit may be allocated to all speakers to better facilitate the meeting. The purpose of a Town Board, Commission, or Committee meeting is to conduct the business of the community in an effective and efficient manner. This is done by following meeting guidelines set forth in State law and in the Town Code. Conduct which is considered disruptive during Town Council and/or Town Commission meetings include, but is not limited to: • Addressing the Commission without first being recognized. • Interrupting speakers, Commissioners, or staff. • Continuing to speak after the allotted time has expired. • Failing to relinquish the podium when directed to do so. • Repetitiously addressing the same subject. For the benefit of the community, the Town asks that the Town’s meeting guidelines are followed and that everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Page 186 Commissioner Handbook – Part 2 Effective and Efficient Meetings and Membership Effective Members To participate effectively, each member of a Board, Commission, or Committee needs to: • Understand the purpose of the Board, Commission or Committee. Be clear on your role and responsibilities and how this particular Board, Commission, or Committee fits into the governance of the Town of Los Gatos. • Prepare for each meeting in advance. Read through the agenda and know what will be discussed at each meeting. Read through staff reports or other background materials or visit sites, as appropriate. • Bring an open mind to each meeting. You are representing the entire community in your role as a member of a Town Commission, so it is important to put aside personal opinions and be open to new ideas, information, and points of view. • Treat everyone with respect and dignity. You are playing an important part in the democratic process which guarantees access and fair treatment to all. Your behavior and attitudes are in the spotlight and should reflect the highest standards of the community. Tips for New Members • Attend meetings of the Board, Commission, or Committee before applying for the position. • Read through minutes of previous meetings of the Commission to become familiar with the current issues under discussion. These are available online in the Agenda and Minutes Center at http://www.losgatosca.gov/13/Agendas-Minutes. • Ask the staff liaison if there is background material that may be helpful for you to read and study, such as the General Plan. • Become familiar with the basic rules of parliamentary procedure http://robertsrules.com. • Attend or watch online at least one or two Town Council meetings to better understand how the role of the individual Board, Commission or Committee fits into the overall governance of the Town. Enforcement • If a member of a Town Board, Commission, or Committee does not follow the Commissioner’s Handbook, the Mayor or his/her designee will counsel that member regarding the rules and their importance to the Council and the Town (see Resolution 1999-167 and Town Council Code of Conduct Policy). n:\clk\public education\tab 2\effective and efficient meetings.docx Page 187 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Page 188